


Untold Stories

by Baroness_Blixen



Category: The X-Files
Genre: F/M, X-Files OctoberFicFest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-11
Updated: 2016-10-11
Packaged: 2018-08-21 23:35:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8264551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Baroness_Blixen/pseuds/Baroness_Blixen
Summary: Scully had picked this place, this moment for two reasons: they weren't alone and Mulder couldn't rush off knowing that they had arrived in just one car – hers. But she should have known that Mulder wouldn't play by the rules.





	

"I need to tell you something", Scully said watching Mulder get ready to dig into his pancakes. His hand stopped mid-air, suddenly unable to perform two tasks at once. "You're not going to like it." Scully had picked this place, this moment for two reasons: they weren't alone and Mulder couldn't rush off knowing that they had arrived in just one car – hers.

"Scully, please just tell me." Mulder's hand was still suspended in time and place. Only his eyes moved constantly, searching her face for clues.

"I can't go with you to Ohio."

"You can't… why not? You have a date?" He tried to make it sound light, like he was kidding. Except Scully knew he wasn't. Lately, he seemed to be hung up on her private life; carefully navigating to find out her weekend plans and whether she was planning on being by herself.

"Actually, Mulder, it's… personal business."

"So you do have a date!" He finally lifted the fork to his mouth. "Good for you." He nodded as if it had been his idea to send her on date. As if the idea that part of her life was not intersected with his actually appealed to him. 

"Mulder…" Scully began.

"No, really. I can do this without you. If I stumble upon any dead bodies, well, I suppose I'll find someone to do an autopsy for me. It's fine," his eyes landed on hers and unable to hold his gaze, Scully fumbled with her coffee cup, looking for the right answer in the dark liquid that stared back at her, cold and stale.

"I better get going then," Mulder stuffed the last of his pancakes into his mouth and swallowed quickly, "I don't want to keep you from your date." He almost spat out the word as he searched his pockets for money.

"We came in my car." Scully reminded him. She no longer remembered why she thought this was such a great idea. Mulder wanted to get away from her and as soon as possible. Right this very moment she couldn't help but feel the same. She had expected this to go over differently; but Mulder wasn't playing by her rules. She should have known that, really. Mulder never played by any rules but his own.

"I'll just take a cab or something." He said with his hands in his coat pockets, still searching. Scully watched him, her patience wearing thinner and thinner.

"It's on me." She finally said.

"You didn't even eat anything, Scully." Mulder's hands stopped and he looked at her. To a bystander, he might have looked bored, disinterested even. Scully knew better though. Her head lowered, he couldn't catch her eyes. He sat back down, surprising her, and her head shot up so that their eyes met.

"Are you all right, Scully? This personal business – it's not…" He didn't finish, because he didn't need to. Scully didn't answer him and she let her hands close around the cold coffee cup. She wondered briefly when it had gotten cold. His plate sat across from her, tiny pieces of fruit untouched. Scully couldn't recall when Mulder had started ordering fruit on the side, but she knew he did it for her. Always hoping she'd steal a few pieces from him (and she usually did).

"No, Mulder, it's not. It's nothing, really." Her voice threatened to betray her.

"Scully, please. I don't mind flying to Ohio all by myself. Hell, the case is probably not worth it anyway. I just need to know that – I feel like I should know why you're suddenly ditching work." A fair question for someone who didn't even take a day off when her father died. Or after her sister was killed. Who went to work right after chemotherapy, almost falling asleep at the desk when the world went spinning around her.

"I know it's personal," Mulder said softly, covering her hand with his, "and I respect that, really I do. I just… if there's some medical issue here, then please tell me."

"It's not that…"

"So it really is a date, huh?" He tilted his head and gave her a lopsided grin. He would have convinced her had his eyes not been so dark, so sad. If only she had the right words to explain it to him. All of it. Everything she wanted to say was locked in her chest; she was just not ready to hand him the key yet.

"All right then," Mulder said, misinterpreting her silence, "I really should get going. Have… fun, Scully. I'll call you." He chuckled to himself, realizing how ridiculous it sounded.

"Mulder, wait." Scully's right hand shot out to grab his arm, almost knocking over her cup. He stopped but she didn't let go of his arm.

"It is a medical issue," she started and saw panic wash over his face, "I think you better sit down." He swallowed hard before taking the chair next to her. Scully made a move to remove her hand from his arm, but he put her hand over hers to keep it there.

"Don't make me guess, Scully, please." She smiled at him, hoping to reassure him this way.

"I have an appointment today to… to see if my ova is still viable."

"You- this is not – it's not because you – your ova?" Scully chuckled. With her secret out, she felt lighter. She hadn't meant to tell him; not yet anyway and certainly not in some greasy diner. She had hoped to tell him when she had more answers herself. Now she saw questions reflected there in his eyes. Some of which were the same as her own, she knew.

"I know you had them tested, but recently, uhm, I've been told to get a second opinion. It's not something I want to let pass." Mulder nodded carefully. "An appointment opened up today and I took it."

"I shouldn't have…" Mulder started, "thank you for telling me, Scully. I'm glad it's not, you know. I better get going now." He nodded at her, apparently uncertain what to do or say to her. This time when he got up, her eyes followed him. She missed his warmth immediately and she watched as Mulder absent-mindedly rubbed the spot on his arm she'd just touched. For a moment he just stood there with his eyes fixated on her.

"Good luck." He whispered and kissed her head quickly before starting to walk away.

"Mulder?" He turned to her, a questioning look on his face.

"If today goes well," Scully swallowed, hoping against hope that he would just know this, understand her thoughts through osmosis rather than her having to voice them, "I'd really like to ask you to… I'd really like to talk to you." Mulder took a moment to understand what she was saying, what she was hinting at. Then, finally, his lips curled upwards and he gave her one of his bright, genuine smiles she loved so much.

"I can't wait, Scully. I can't wait."

**Author's Note:**

> Written for OctoberFicFest!


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